1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to wireless mobile telecommunication networks and, more specifically, to measuring service quality in wireless mobile telecommunication networks that deliver multimedia content to wireless mobile handsets.
2. Description of the Related Art
Service quality management in a wireless mobile telecommunication network refers to assessing how well the network elements are functioning, how well suited the network technology is for handling the intended traffic, and how good a customer perceives his or her user experience to be and further refers to taking any appropriate action in response. Whether the elements of the network are functioning properly and are capable of handling the intended traffic can be measured by hardware probes that monitor network traffic at various nodes and provide estimates of transaction times, delays and throughput. Network coverage can be measured by “drive tests,” in which measurements are taken with a mobile receiver at various geographic locations. Nevertheless, the quality of the end-to-end user experience is what determines whether a customer stays with a service provider or leaves the service provider. As technology for delivering multimedia, i.e., video and audio, content to wireless mobile devices is developed, a corresponding need arises for improved methods for measuring service quality, especially as related to the user experience.
Technology growth in this area is exemplified by the Multimedia Broadcast-Multicast Service (MBMS), developed by the Third Generation Partnership Program (3GPP) for distributing on-demand multimedia content to many wireless mobile devices in a coverage area. It is contemplated that wireless mobile device users will be able to view television shows, movies, music videos, live sports events, and other television-like content. MBMS is capable of being deployed on conventional Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) network infrastructure. MBMS broadcasts content through a Broadcast-Multicast Service Center (BMSC) in a manner analogous to that in which cable TV delivers various programs through cable TV provider's system. The BMSC interfaces with content providers from which the network service provider receives the multimedia content. The BMSC also interfaces with a Gateway GPRS Serving Node (GGSN) to deliver the data through the cellular network.
It would be desirable to provide a system and method for measuring multimedia service quality in a wireless mobile network that provides a useful indication of the user experience in MBMS and other multimedia content distribution systems. It is to such a method and system that the present invention is primarily directed.